


Chin Up

by meltokio



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Custom Hawke, Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 21:46:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10862712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meltokio/pseuds/meltokio
Summary: She hasn’t cried in ten years so when it rains, it pours.





	Chin Up

She hasn’t cried in ten years so when it rains, it pours.

And it hurts, like dust and cobwebs have collected in her tear ducts. Like there are little corks in her eyes that she has to push out with every heave and every sob. It’s draining to be weak, so she does it with no one around.

Whenever she wanted to cry, she laughed instead. She smiled. _“Chin up, Hawke.” “Stay strong.” “Laugh so they can’t hurt you.”_ Laugh and they can’t take your brother—your sister—your mother—your heart—your life. Laugh and they can’t take the breath out of your lungs; it’s moving too fast. Laughter scares them. Laughter embarrasses them.

Who is “them?” Some consortium of hooded figures pushing their fingers into her spine and telling her where to go. Men and women with fangs and hollow pits where their eyes should be. They can’t have eyes, that’s the thing. Because eyes mirror the soul and no one who could watch another person stumble through this tragic story could have a soul. No one could pull these strings and scratch this parchment and sleep easy at night.

She scrubs her eyes with a knuckle and feels gritty soot against tender flesh. There might be blood on her skin—there’s already so much on her hands. And it’s hers. Always hers. Every day she bled herself dry and every night she curled up in bed and waited to make some more. The blood of the Hawke; it does more than unlock eons’-old Magisters intent on world domination. It buys her loyalty. It buys her coin. It buys her love. That last part is what she values above all other things. How much is love worth? A pint? A gallon?

An ocean?

_Chin up, Hawke. Move or the wolves’ll eat you._

_Maybe they’ll get my marrow. Maybe I’ll feed the pups. Maybe they’ll get strong and grow and eat more humans. Maybe you’ll end up in a stinking pile._

_What a legacy you’ll leave._

_Chin up, Hawke._

_Move._

_Wolves are the least of your worries._


End file.
